Elevated railway



. (No Moliel.)

5 SheetsSheet 1. L. JOHNSTON.

ELEVATED RAILWAY.

No. 508,478. Patented Nov, "14, 1893.

Wz'fness es ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

. mmnm (No Model.) 5 Sheets,Sheet 4.

' L. JOHNSTON. ELEVATED RAILWAY- No. 508,478. E Patented Nov. 14, 1893.

I UNITED STATES? PATENT Orrrce.

LYSANDER JOHNSTON,

or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

E LE V AfT ED RAlLWAYr SPEGIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No.508,478, dated N oveinber 14, 1893. Application filed November 26,1892.Serial No. 453,294. (No model.)

To-aZZ whom it may concern/.- Be it known that I, LYSANDER J OHNSTON, ofChicago, 'in the county'of Cookand State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and use-v ful Improvements in Elevated Railways; and I I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specifica-, tion.

My invention relates to that class ofele vated or overhead railways inwhich the rails or tracks are supported in position principally bystructural devices of the suspension type, and in which the cars orvehicles are suspended below the tracks or rails; these fea-' tures' ofconstruction' and arrangement enabling the railways to be operatedalong. crowded thoroughfares without obstructing; the latter, anda'isowitho nt interfering with i surface travel. I

My invention also relates to overhead or elevated railways in which therailsor tracks are supported in position partly by trestlework, and inwhich also, revoluble platforms or turn-tables are employed forconveying the cars orvehicles from a main line to crossing E or branchlines of tracks, and vice versa.

The objects of my invention are, first, to' produce an elevated railwaywhich shall be simple, strong and durable in its construction and thestresses or strains in which, whether; due to the deadweight-of'structural parts,or' to the shifting weight of movingvehicles,shall be perfectly distributed throughout the supporting structure so asto in-no'wise lessen or in any way objectionablyafiect' the stability ofthe structure; -secondly ,'to so construct the supporting parts as toavoid al l= lateral vibrationsor swaying of the structure even duringthe passage ofheavy and swiftlymoving loads; also to prevent derailmentof the vehicles, and to rendercurved portions; of the roadway equally asstrong and stable? as the straight portions thereof; furthermore, to soconstruct the turn-tables or rev-; oluble platforms as to insure theutmost strength and also rigidity of construction together with theutmost lightness, so that the minimum amount of power shall besufficient to revolve the platforms or turn-tables.

2'is' a transverse vertical section of the same,

taken'on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan' View of a curvedportion of the railway embodying my invention. Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section of the railway, taken on the line 44- of Fig. 3.Fig. 5-is a trans- 'vers e'v'' rtical section of" the railway, takenonthe" li ne 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a turn-tableconstructed in accordance'with my invention. Fig. 7 is a verticals'ection of the turn-table, taken on the'line 7-?7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 isan enlarged View,

inside elevation, of one of the mil -supporting yoke-frames, in detachedcondition. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section of the "same, takeno'n'the line 99 ofFig. S; Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical" longitudinalsection of one of the bearing ends of the yoke-frame, j

and of portion of one of the rails, taken on the-"line 1010,'o1f Fig. 2.,Figqll is' a transverse vertical section of the same; taken onthe line'l] 1l of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is an enlarged transverse'vertical section ofa portion of the turn tab-l'e,ta-ken' on the line 12 12 of Fig'l6.Fig-13 is a horizontal section of a part of the turn-table, taken onthelin'e l31'3 'ofF-ig. 14 isa transver section or a portion of'theturntabl on the line l414 of Fig. 7. Fig. 15- tral transverse verticalsection of th e 'lower end of the turn-table standard, and the partsimmediately-adjacent thereto; this-view'showing th'ebeari'ngforthestandard.- Fig. 16 is a detached pla n view-of 'a. flexible truckframeembodying my invention. Fig. 17 is a side elevation of the middleportion of onevertical sideof the truck-frame. Fig. 18 is a sideelevation of the central pivotjoint of the trucks f ram'e. Fig. 19 is'adetached view,-i n side elevation, of a portion of one of the line-wiresupporting stringers and also of a part of a line-wire, and theconnections for attaching the wire to the stringer. Fig. 20 is atransverse vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 19; the sectionbeing taken on the line 2020 of said 'Fig. 19. Fig. 21 is an enlargedlongitudinal sectional view of one of the yoke bar hangers, taken on theline 2l-21 of Fig. 5.

In the said drawings, A designates a number of posts or columns whichare intended to be set, at their lower ends, firmly into the ground andwhich rise at each side of the track-way; these posts or columns beingof metal and having preferably each its outer portions braced togetherby lattice-bars a, and the lower portions of said columns beingpreferably inclined upwardly and inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, foraffording additional stability to the structure as a whole. Thesecolumns are preferably placed in pairs at opposite sides of the rail-waystructure, and are prolonged vertically upward at their upperend-portions. The upper ends of the two opposite columns are bracedtogether by horizontal cross-beams A, which are preferably metalI-beams, and the ends of which are confined between upper and lower L-shaped brackets a, bolted to the inner sides of the columns and also tothe upper and lower sides of the brace beams A. In order to furtherstrengthen the cross or brace beams A, they are shown in Fig.2 asprovided with truss-rods a extendinglongitudinally beneath thecross-beams and bolted at their ends to the lower brackets a; saidtrussrods being strained beneath struts a. which are pendent from theunder sides of the crossbeams. The two opposite columns A are also shownas further braced together by horizontal cross-beams A which are alsopreferably in the form of I-beams, and which are placed considerablybelow the cross-beams A; these lower cross-beams A being secured attheir ends to the columns A, at the points of juncture of the verticalupper end-portions of the columns with the inclined lower portions ofthe same. The ends of the crossbeams A are shown in Fig. 2 as bolted toupper and lower L-shaped brackets a which are in turn bolted to theinner sides of the columns A, at the points mentioned.

B designate suspension cables of which there may be one or two or anygreater-number, according as the railway is a singletracked or adouble-tracked road, or has more than two lines of tracks. Each of thesesuspension cables Bis carried over the upper cross-beams A and isretained in position thereon by saddles b, these saddles being bolted orotherwise secured against movement upon the cross-beams A. The cables Bdepend in loop-like or festoon form between each two succeedingcross-beams A, in the usual manner of suspension cables, and from whichcarry the traction rails as hereinafter explained. Each yoke frameconsists of a straight metal bar forming the upper or body portion ofthe yoke-frame. To this bar, at points near its ends, are bolted thelower ends of a suspension-rod C which extends upward and is bent midwayof its length, through a shackle 0, each of said shackles being firmlyclamped about the suspension cable B.

As shown in Fig. 2, the lower part of each arm of each of thesuspension-rods C is divided, and the two parts thus formed areconnected together by a turn-buckle 0', so that the height of theyoke-frame C can be accurately adjusted, by manipulations of theturn-buckles 0 so as to level the tracks as desired.

As shown in Fig. 4, each of the suspensioncables B is carried downwardat its end-portions and anchored at each end to a l1orizontal cross beamD (which is preferably a metal I-beam) and which is bolted at its endsto metal posts or columns D; these columns D forming the supports oftrestle work approaches to the suspension structure, and being shown ashaving their outer portions connected together by lattice-bars d. Fromthe ends of the yoke-bars O depend bracket arms or hangers G the lowerends (J of which are extended upward and inward int-0 approximatelyUform. A head 0 is formed at the inner end of each of the U-shapedportions C and to said heads are bolted the rails C these rails beingshown as in the form of inverted channel-irons, or, in other words, asof inverted U-form in cross-section.' The rails C are preferably so laidthat their abutting ends shall rest upon the heads and be boltedthereto; the heads thus serving as internal fish-plates for therail-joints. The bracket arms or hangers C are braced laterally, againstoutward springing, by brace-rods C the upper ends of which are bolted tothe ends of the yoke-bars G and each of which extends obliquely downwardand is bolted at its lower end tothe lower end of the correspondinghanger 0 In the drawings I have shown a double-tracked rail-way, and inorder to prevent any longitudinal swaying of the yoke-frames G, a numberof brace-rods c are ITO crossed between each adjacent pair ofyokeframes; said rods being shown as bolted at their upper ends to theupper ends of the brace-bars C and at their lower ends to the lower endsof said brace-rods. Lateralswaying of the yoke-frames is also preventedby longitudinal tie-rods c which connect the yoke-frames of each set ofrails, at points near the ends of the yoke bars 0, as is clearly shownin Figs. 1 and 2. Between their upper and lower ends each pair ofhangers carries two guard-rails 0, each of which is shown as of invertedL-shape, and as bolted to brackets c which are in turn bolted to thesides of the hangers C the outer edges of the upper or horizontalflanges of the rails C being notched, as shown in Fig. 21, so as to ,Tothe under sides'ot' the yoke-bars O are secured'stringers 0 there beingone of such stringers for each pair of rails 0 and beneath each stringerO is laid a line wire C for conducting an electric current; each linewirebeing suspended from its stringer by insulated hangers and each ofthe wires 0 being protected from above, against the weather, by obliqueguards'or shields 0 se-, cured to the undersides of the stringers, nearthe opposite sides thereof and extending outward and downward therefrom.

The posts D of the trestle-work approaches to the suspension structure,above described, do not extend above the cross-beams D; and' the roadwayofthe trestle-work, and also the roadway of the suspension structure,are braced and stiffened by'a number of suspension-rods D which aresecured at their ends to certain of the yoke-bars O, and which arecarried upward over the upper cross-beams A of the posts A. Between eachpair of cross-beams D ofthe trestle-work are interposed a number ofpairs of parallel longitudinal stringers E which are preferably in theform of metalI-beams; there being but a-single pair of said stringers Ein a singletracked road, two pairs of such stringers in a double-trackedroad, and so on. These stringers E are shown as boltedat their ends toL- shaped brackets e which are in turnbolted to the sides of thecross-beams D and also to the cross-beams A and upon the upper sides ofeach pair of stringers E are laid a number of horizontal shortcross-beams or suspension ties F, which either simply rest by their ownweight upon the stringers, as shown, or which may be suitably bolted orotherwise secured to the stringers. Horizontally beneath eachsuspension-tie is placed one of the yoke-bars 0, each of which isconnected to the suspension tie by a pair of pendent stirrupsf. Each ofthese stirrups is bent midwayofits length in such'manner as to extendtransversely over the suspension tie; the remaining portions of-thestirrups extending downward soas to embrace the sides of the ties; Theloweriends of the stirrups f also embrace the yoke bars O at points neartheir ends, and .aresecurelybolted to said yoke bars. In the caseof astraight section of track, the yoke-frames O are hung parallel with eachother and precisely transverse of the stringers E, but in the case of acurved section of track, the suspension ties F are laid and theyoke-frames are hung in alignment with the radii of the curvature of thetrack, or, in other Words, said ties and yoke-frames diverge from each'other, from the inner rail of the track toward the outer rail thereof,as is clearlyshown i'nFig. 3. In the case of a curved section of track,also, the rails C and C are of course bent laterally so as to conform tothe curvature'of the track and the stirrups f are set or adjusted nearerto or farther from the ends of the suspension ties F, so as to bring theyoke-bars O and their hangersO in proper position to accord with thecurvatures of the rails C and 0. I

At intervals in the length of the roadway,

as at points where crossing-lines traverse the main line, or wherebranch lines join the main line, suitable turn-tables of peculiar andnovel construction are located and serve'either to enable the cars orvehicles to travel farther along the main line or branch lines, or to beshunted from the main line 'upon the cross- .line or branch line, orvice versa. I will describe one of these turn tables in connection withFigs. 6, 7, 12, 13,14 and 15. In these figures, G designates foursupports or columns the lower ends of which are placed firmly in theground so as to form the four corners of a supporting frame work, thecolumns G each consisting preferably of two longitudinal portionsconnected together by latticed bars 9, and also preferably beinginclined upwardly toward each other in order to impart additionalrigidity to the framework. At their upper ends these four columns G arebraced together byfour horizontal beams G which are preferably metal I-beams and the ends of'which are preferably bolted in suitable manner tothe upper ends of the columns G. From the horizontal bars G extend,obliquely inward and upward, a number of radial bars G which arepreferably metal I-beams and the, outer ends of which are securelybolted to the horizontalbeams G and also to the columns G, as indicatedin'Figs. 6 and 7. The upper or inner ends of the beams or bars G arebolted 'to a horizontal plate G which surrounds the upper end-portion ofa vertical pivot standard G and'which is adapted'to permit said pivotstandard to rotate freely within said plate. The upper extremity of thepivotfstandard' carries a bearing plate G which turns with thepivot-standard and which also bears upon the plate G and turns thereon;anumber of anti-friction balls ,9 being shown as interposed between theplatesG and G for the purpose of reducing friction between the parts.The lower end of the pivot standard G extendsthrough a platform whichis-sup ported .by horizontal I-beams G the outer ends of which arebolted to the columns G and the inner ends ofwhich are bolted to acenter-plate G through which the lower end of the pivot-standard passesand in whichsaid standard is free to revolve. A bearing plate Gis'rigidly secured to the lower end of the pivot standard G and restsupon the centerplate G of the platform; anti-friction balls g beinginterposed between the bearing-plate G and the center plate G so as 'tolessen the friction resulting from the movements of the 'bearingplate' Gupon the center plate G above the platform of the turn-table supportingframe; this circular rail or track having on its inner side a circulartoothed rack H, fora purpose to be hereinafter explained. This track orrail H is suspended from the turn-table supporting frame by rods h andh; the lower ends of said rods being suitably secured to the track, andthe upper ends of the rods it being secured to the beams G while theupper ends of the rods h are secured to the beams G.

1 designates a horizontal circular framepiece which constitutes thebody-portion of the turn-table proper. From this circular frame-piece Iextend radially inward a number of brace-bars I, the inner ends of whichare bolted to a collar 1 which surrounds the pivot-standard G so as torotate aroundthe latter. To the outer ends of the radial bars I arebolted bracket-hangers l which extend upward and outward from the barsI, and each of which carries at its upper end a traction-wheel I; thesaid wheels resting and running upon the circular track H and supportingthe circular frame-piece I, while at the same time permitting said framepiece to revolve. To the outer ends of the radial bars I are securedrods 'i which extend radially upward and inward and the upper ends ofwhich are bolted to a collar 1 which surrounds the upper part of thepivot-standard G so as to revolve freely around the same; this collarbeing shown as located just below the bearingplate G Transversely of theturn -table extend a number of horizontal stringers J, there being twoof said stringers for a single track, four for a double track, and soon, and the stringers of each pair extending parallel with each other.As shown there are two pairs of these stringers extending in the samedirection across the turntable; it is to be understood that two otherpairs of stringers J may be placed at right angles to the two pairsshown, or that any desired number of pairs of stringers may be so placedwith relation to the stringers J. Transversely upon each pair ofstringers are placed a number of suspension-ties J, from which aresuspended yoke -bars 0 having hangers O and braces 0 and carryingtraction-rails O and guard-rails O, as before; the yoke-bars 0 beingalso suspended, by stirrups f, from the ties J, as previously described.A suitable motor, indicated at K, is mounted upon two horizontalsupportingbeams K which rest upon certain of the radial beams I, saidmotor imparting motion to a beveled gear-wheel k which meshes with adouble gear-wheel 7c, the lower set of teeth of this gear-wheel 7omeshing with the'rack-teeth H of the circular frame piece I. Thus itwill be seen that, when the motor K is in operation, it will cause theturntable to revolve so as to carry the turntable tracks from alignmentwith one set of track-rails to alignment with the other set of tracks.

L designates the cars which are designed to travel upon the railwayabove described; these cars being, so far as their precise general formand construction are concerned, either as shown, or of any otherconstruction suitable to the traffic requirements of the road. At itsends, each of the car-bodies is embraced by a stirrup-frame L whichextends upward at the sides of the car-body, transversely beneath thebottom of said car-body, and also upward, in convergent position, abovethe roof of the car body. The upper portions of the stirrup-frames Lpass each through one of the shackles I which are secured to the lowerends of hangers L which are pendent from the ends of a truck-frame LThis truck-frame is shown as composed of two sections M M, each of whichis of approximate U-shape in plan view and each of which forms one endand one half of each side of the truck-frame. At each side the two endsections M M of the truck-frame are connected by one of two longitudinalbars N, having each a longitudinal slot '12; bolts 77. being passedthrough the slots n and also through the side portions of the truckframe sections M. Thus the truckframes are rendered flexible laterally,so as to the more readily travel over short curves, the bolts n in suchevent moving toward and away from each other in the slots at of theconnecting bars N. In order to stiifen and strengthen the flexibletruck-frame, a V- shaped brace-bar t) is interposed between the twolongitudinal portions of the sections M M of the truck-frame; the bendsor apexes of the brace-bars being presented toward each other at themiddle of the truck-frame, and the ends of said brace-bars being boltedto the side portions of the truck frame sections M M. The bends of thebracebars O are knucklejointed to each other,a pin or bolt 0 forming thepintle of said joint. Axles P carrying flanged wheels p are journaled atthe ends of the truck-frames; the wheels running upon the rails 0 Theouter ends of the axles P abut against the guard-rails C and carry, attheir ends, wheels the flanges of which are at the outer sides of thewheel-margins, as shown. Thus all possibility of derailment of thetrucks is avoided, and it will be seen that the flanges of the wheels,by impinging upon the outer sides of the rails, prevent all possibilityof spreading of said rails. A suitable electric motor lit is shown asmounted upon each truck-axle P, and a trolley-wheel S is shown ascarried by a shaft S which extends horizontally and transversely abovethe truckframe; the shaft S being pressed upward by springs S restingupon the truck-frame and serving to hold the trolley wheels S in contactwith the line wires.

I claim as my invention 1. An elevated railway structure comprising aplurality of yokes and supports therefor, said yokes being of invertedU-shape and provided at their lower ends with inwardly extending andupturned arms, and track-rails of inverted U-form, in cross-sec- IIOtion, resting upon and supported by thc iipturned lower ends of the saidyokes, substantially as described i 2. An. elevated railway structure,comp-rising suspending cables,supports therefor, and a plurality ofyokes of inverted U-form suspended from said cables, said yokes beingprovided at theirlower ends with inwardly extending arms, upturned attheir lower ends, track-.railsof, inverted U-shape resting upon andattached to the said upturned inner ends of. said arms, and longitudinalguide rails attached to the vertical sides of the yokes above the.track-rails, substantially as described. o

3. Anelevated railway structure, comprising aplurality of yokes,andmeans for supporting the same, said yokes each consistingofahorizontal. top piece, vertical side bars depending therefroniandattached to the top piece at pointsdistant from the outer ends ofthesame, and inclined brace-bars extending from the outer ends of said.top piece to the lower endsof the said vertical side-bars, said hangersbeing provided at their lower ends with inwardly extending arms andtrackrails supported on said arms, substantially as described.

4t. Anelevated railway structure, comprising yokes and means forsupporting the same, said yokesbeing of inverted U -form and beingprovided at their lower ends-with inwardly extending arms provided withlongitudinallyarranged heads or lugs for attachment to' track-rails, andchanneled track-rails resting on and embracing saidinwardly extendingarms, substantially as described.

5. An elevated railway structure, comprising yokes and means forsupporting thesame, said yokes being of inverted U-form and beingprovided at their lower ends with inwardly extending arms provided withlongitudinally arranged heads or lugs for attachment to track-rails, andchanneled track-rails resting on and embracing said inwardly eX-'tending arms, said heads or lugs at the rail joints being elongatedlongitudinally to constitute internal connecting bars or fish plates forthe rails, substantially as described.v

6. An elevated railway structure, comprising a pluralityof. rigid metalyokes of inverted U-form, provided with inwardly extendingrail-supporting arms at their lower ends, supports for said yokes andlongitudinal guide rails attached to the side pieces of the yokes abovethe track-rails, said guide rails consisting of L-shaped angle ironshaving their vertical flanges extending continuously along the sidepieces'of the yokes inside of the latter and their horizontal flangesnotched to receive the side piecesot' theyoke, and

angle plates for securing said guide rails to the yoke, substantially asdescribed.

7. An elevated railway structure, GOIIlpI'iSr "ing suspension cables andsupports therefor constituting the straight parts of the structure, andlongitudinal girders and supports therefor-constituting the curvedpartsof the structure, a plurality of rigid metal yokes of inverted-U-form, track-rails supported on the lower ends of the yokes, the saidyokes inthe straight part of the structure being suspended from thesuspension cables by means of cables or rods engaging said suspensioncables, and the yokes onthe curved part of the .structure beingsupported from the said longitudinal stringers by means of transversesupporting-pieces resting onthe stringers,

with which transverse pieces the said yokes are connected, substantiallyas described.

8. The combination with an elevated-railway structure, embracingtrack'supporting yokes having inwardly extending mail-supporting armsand rails resting thereon, of a turn-table comprising a revolvingcircular frame, a pluralityof yokes suspended therefrom, track railsresting onthe yokes, a circular stationary guide rail,-and guiderollerson the revolving frame of the turn-table engaging said stationary guiderails, substantially as described. I

9. The combination with an elevated railway structure comprising rigidmetal stirrups or yokes of inverted U -form having inwardly extendingarms'at their lower ends and track rails resting on'said arms, of aturn-table comprising a main frame or support, a-central vertical shaftmounted therein, arevolving circular frame attached to the shaft, yokesor stirrups suspended from the said frame,

and a circular guiderail attached to the main supporting frame, saidrevolving frame of the turn-table being provided withguide rollersengaging said circular guide rail, substantially as described. Y

10. The combination with an elevated railway structure comprising rigidmetal stirrups or. yokes of inverted U -form having inwardly extendingarms at their lower ends and track rails resting on said arms, of aturn-table comprising a main frame or support, a central vertical shaftmounted therein, arevolving circular frame attached to the shaft,-yokesor stirrups suspended from the said frame, and a circular guide railattached to the main supporting frame, said revolving frame of theturn-table being provided with guiderollers engaging said circular guiderail, and said circular guiderailbeing suspended from the said mainsupporting 'frame by suspension rods, substantially as described.

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing a my-inventionI hereunto affix mysignatur in presence of two witnesses.

